The Old and the Restless

As soon as he arrived at the cottage, Joshua tested every lever, knob and handle to see how it worked. Playing with mother just before being "abandoned". Mom and dad are ready to leave for Tami's wedding abandoning Joshua to his grandparents' tender mercies. Joshua ventures out of the stroller onto the leaves. Once on the ground, Joshua liked the texture of the fallen leaves. Finding out what was in every drawer in the cottage was an obsession. "Row, row, row your boat" was his favorite game. Sunrise on Sunday at 7:30 am. Sunrise on Sunday morning with a flock of cormorants in the bay.

Thanksgiving this year was at Megan and Michael's farm south of Owen Sound. Although Michael said that the fall colours were a little subdued this year, there were still a few bright reds. The weather was very warm (mid 20s C) and humid...quite unusual for this time of year. A view from the gravel ridge. It sems as if this ridge was a glacier deposit. A walk in the woods on the farm before Thanksgiving dinner. Margot and Megan toasting with sparkling grape juice. Notice the two little belly bumps! A Thanksgiving toast (non alcoholic for the moms to be). Enjoying duck, chicken and red cabbage with vintage Amarone wine for dinner in the farmhouse kitchen. (Actually, Joshua had his own baby food dinner without wine.)

After school, Grandpa played with Brandon on the trampoline for (an interminable) 15 minutes or so. Grandpa jumped much much higher than this; but Grandma could not take the high pictures with her digital camera! When Grandpa tried the "bum bounce" and couldn't get up easily, Brandon said "poor Grandpa!" (Just the encouragement a 65 year old needs from a 6 year old!) Before dinner, Hervé read the birthday cards made by Brandon (including one on which Brandon's entire class plus his teacher wished Hervé a Happy Birthday!). The birthday cards just kept coming! Bryn prepared an extravagant plate of hors d'oeuvres to start off the birthday meal. After Hervé's favorite meal of BBQ pork tenderloin (and lots and lots of frites), Bryn served the "Engadine nut cake" that Grandpa bought at the Gare bakery. There were many comments that a "cake" had to be higher than 2 cm and that Grandpa had really bought a nut "pie"; but it see...